Asif fails to get Swiss visa for 'B' sample test

Updated: 08 August 2008 16:58 IST

Asif's efforts to get a visa to travel to Switzerland for his 'B' sample test met with failure on Monday.

Written by Press Trust of India

Read Time: 2 mins

Karachi:
Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif's efforts to get a visa to travel to Switzerland for his 'B' sample test met with failure on Monday with the embassy officials advising him to apply afresh for new travel dates.

Asif's lawyer Shahid Karim confirmed that they sent another e-mail to the Indian Premier League organisers asking them to extend the date for the 'B' sample test from August 6 onwards after the visas were not issued on the day they were planning to travel to Geneva for the tests.

"The Swiss embassy has not issued us visas. So we will try afresh and have asked the IPL for an extension in dates. We feel it is absolutely necessary for me and Asif to be present when the "B" samples are conducted," Karim said.

Asif was suspended from all cricket activities by the Pakistan Cricket Board ever since he tested positive in dope tests conducted during the IPL where he played for the Delhi Daredevils team.

A PCB official said Asif had applied for the visa in his own individual capacity and it would not offer him any assistance in obtaining the travel permission from the embassy.

"He is doing everything himself," the official said.

Karim said they were awaiting a final word from the IPL whether the date for the 'B' sample test would be extended again.

"If they don't than what can we do," he added.

There is also some confusion over whether Asif has managed to hire the services of a British sports medicine doctor to help him in the case although sources close to him said he had been advised by his lawyer not to publicise this appointment.

Asif is also facing problems on another front with the three member fact finding commission of the board also having submitted its report to the PCB Chairman on whether action should be taken against him for 19-days detention in Dubai in June.

Asif was detained after authorities found some banned substance from him while he was returning home from India .

Sources say the committee is likely to recommend some sort of disciplinary action against Asif.

Once the blue eyed boy of the Pakistan cricket establishment, Asif has quickly fallen from grace with the authorities and an example of this came when Shafqat Naghmi, the chief operating officer of the board was asked about media reports that Asif had signed up to play a role in an Indian film.

"I don't think Mohammad Asif has a face of a filmi hero... and neither have I heard anything like it ... if I do get to know about such a development, I will let you know," he said.